Automatic railway switch and signal



I. L. EDWARDS. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH AND SIGNAL. 1 APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1912., RENEWED MAR. 5, 1919. 1,351,946. Patentedfiept- 7,1920.

k 4 SHEETS-SHEET I. 5 fl -i g Q I Q WITNESSES l. L. EDWARDS.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH AND SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY I4, 1912. RENEWED MAR. 5. 19.19.

1,351,946, PatentedSept. 7,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2- WITNESSES 1 INVENTOR Wm 4m da/tm'w Allomey l. L. EDWARDS.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH AND'SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1912. RENEWED MAR. 5, 1919.

1,351,946. A PatentedSept. 7, 1920.

4 SH FTTSHEET 3- I. ll. EDWARDS.

AUTOMATIC'RAILWAY SWITCH AND SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED MAYM, 1912. RENEWED MAR. 5, 1919.

1, 35 1 ,946. Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

WITNESSES NVENTOR Q 1 1; c I v -All0rney UNETED STATES iATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC L. EDWARDS, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. *7, 1920.

Application filed May 14, 1912, Serial No. 697,325. Renewed March 5, 1919. Serial No. 280,859.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, Isaac L. Enwanos, of Aurora, in the county of Kane and in the State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Railway Switches and Signals, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide for as complete as possible control of the movements of railroad trains by a system f signals and train stopping devices so that the danger will be reduced to a minimum of accidents due to switches being in an open or unsafe condition and the movement of trains toward each other upon the same track, and to accomplish this important object by mechanism of such construction as to be as nearly infallible in its operation as possible and free from liability to derangements, and to this end my invention consists in the mechanism constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view in the nature of a diagram showing section of railroad track equipped with my invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and l are perspective views of succeeding portions of the track with its equipment, the portions succeeding in the order of the numbers of the figures, and

Fig. 5 is a detail view'in perspective of a portion of the signal mechanism at the station.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of the switch-point operating bar, to show the locking notches therein.

As I prefer to construct the mechanism embodying my invention, it is in connection with a power operated switch mechanism, 7

such as forms the subject of my pending application for Patent No. 500,395, filed June 5. 1909, renewed as Serial No. 273,171, Jan.

25, 1919, to which reference is to be hadfor the details of construction and operation of said switch operating mechanism.

In the drawings, 10 designates the main line tracks, 11 the siding tracks, and 12the switch points for saidsiding. Connected with the switch points for swinging the same is a rod 13 extending as usual transversely of the track and connected with the operating lever of a switch stand 14, so that when desired the switch may be opened and closed by hand. At a convenient point adjacent to one of the main line tracks 1.0, I place a compressed air or pncumaticcyliin dcr 15, containing a piston 16 on a piston rod 17, that extends through both ends of the cylinder, which by the admission of compressed air is adapted to be moved in one or the other direction according to the requirements of the case. At one end, the piston rod 17 is shown connected with one arm of a bell crank lever 18, whose other arm is connected by link 19 and lever 20 3) to the switch point operating rod 13.

The lever 20 is pivoted midway between I the tracks with one end having a limited loose connection with the rod 13 so that there can be some play or lost motion of the lever in each direction before movement is imparted therefrom to the rod 13. This lost motion or play is provided for to enable the use of the locking device for the switch points which is connected with and is moved by the bell. crank lever 18, and which looking device locks the switch points in both of their positions. Said locking device comprises a pair of parallel plates 21 between which an extension of the switch point op eratin rod 13 reciprocates, and two levers 22 which alternately are moved into and out of locking engagement with the respective notches 23 in said rod extension when one or the other of said notches is in alinement with its lever according as the switch points are in an opened or closed position. The guide plates 21 have opposite notches 24 for the play of the levers 22- and into and out of alinement with which the respective notches in the rod extension move. The rocking of the levers 22, alternately in opposite directions, is accomplished by links 25 which connect the respective levers with oppositely projecting arms 26 of a member attached to one arm of the bell crank lever 18.

At the side of the cylinder 15 is a valve chest 27 to which compressed air is supplied by a supply pi 3e 28, all as set forth in my application No. 500,395, filed Junev 5, 1909, renewed as Serial No. 273,171, Jan. 25, 1919, hereinbefore referred to. In the supply pipe 28, near the chest, is a valve 29 having an operating handle 30 which at one end is connected by a link 31 to the protruding end of the piston valve rod 32, and at its other end is connected to a rod that extends the shoe.

alongside the track to some point, say five hundred feet, from the switch, where it has connected with it a safety lever 3% arranged contiguous to the rail on both sides of the switch so as to be in position to be struck and rocked by some portion of the train orlocomotive, as for example, a roller on the pilot of the locomotive, in the event that the switch is open when the main line should be clear, said safety lever being moved from a position out of the path of the train or locomotive part into position to be engaged thereby when the switch is in an open position. I prefer to arrange the lever 34 horizontally so that it will project above the track rail, and because thus arranged it can be given considerable length so as to make its movements by the impact of the locomotive part upon it sufficiently easy and slow, comparatively, as to assure the proper op eration of the parts, for ordinarily it will be struck by the locomotive or car when the train is at high speed.

In order that the running train may be fully under the control of an operator in the station so that the engineer may be warned, and if desired his train automatically stopped should the switch be in an unsafe condition I employ the following described mechanism: Extending transversely of the track and supported so as to be capable of movement transversely of the track, is a frame composed of a. pair of horizontal rods, or bars 35, connected at their opposite ends by short bars 36, the rods 35 passing through tubular guides or pipes 360 clipped to the rail flanges. At one end outside of one of the track rails, said frame has a support composed of a pair of vertical rods to the upper end of which is secured a plate or shoe 38, whose opposite ends are inclined away from the rail, which shoe by the movement of the supporting frame toward the rail is placed in a position to engage a depending arm 390 carried by the locomotive and movably supported thereon so that it may be moved by its contact with the shoe and a lamp and bell circuit on the locomotive cab thereby closed so that the engineer will be signaled both by light and sound. A spring acts to move the signaloperating arm 390 outward after it passes The frame carrying the shoe is moved to cause the operation of the locomotive signals when the switch is open or in an unsafe position. lVhen the switch is safe the shoe is in a positon where it will not'be engaged by the locomotive signal operating arm 390. At the other end the frame composed of the rods 35 has pivotally connected to it one arm of the bell crank lever the other arm of which is connected by a rod 4L0 to one of the safety levers at and by the latter with the rod 33, which by a lever 41 is connected to a rod 42 which runs alongside the track to the station S where it is connected to a crank arm 43 on a vertical :operatingshaft havin; a hand lever 4-5 by which the operator in the station may turn the shaft and thus produce the desired movements of the frame com posedof the bars 35, and also operate the air valve 29. The frame carrying the signal operating shoe 38 may, for example, be located five hundred feet from the station. The operating shaft is utilized to control the circuit of signal lights in the station so that the operator may by these lights know the condition. One of these lights is red for danger and the other white for clear and they are, respectively, produced by lamps that are in circuits which are controlled by two switches that alternatively are opened and closed by the rocking of the shaft lit which carries diametrically opposite switch closing fingers 46.

Preferably the shoe-engaging arm 390 a roller 391, that contacts with the shoe to reduce friction.

It is desirable that the operator at station, be kept posted as to the state of the switch. For this purpose I provide an electric light 47 at the station that shows red when the switch is open or wrong, said li [if being in a circuit 48 that is closed automatically by a switch lever 49 pivoted to and actuated by the railroad switch operat ing bar 13, when the latter is moved to close the switch points 12. Said red light circuit is automatically opened when the railnad switch is closed or safe. A white light may be provided that is alternately cut into and out of circuit with the red light. Thus,

the station operator is signaled tie con dition of the switch and he can tell it has been operated by others so that danger from tampering with it is avoided.

Located at a point in advance of the road switch, I place a light stand 50 containing preferably three electric lamps, white, green, and red, respectively, under the control of an electric switch that includes a vertical shaft 51 with contact fingers 5:2, one of which controls both the red and green lamps and the other the white lamp. The shaft has a crank arm 53 from which a link runs to a bell crank lever 55 that in turn is connected by a link to a bell-crank lever 56 on the opposite side of the track, and which by a rod 57 and a lever58 is connected with the rod and hence, the movements that are imparted to the rod to open the valve 29 to throw the switch points 12, the signal operating shoe 3S, and the engineengaging lever 34, are imparted to the switch shaft 51 that controls the three lights of the stand 50. Thus the condition of the switch is signaled to trains coming in both directions.

Preferably, a signal is provided to show the oncoming train that the shoe 38 is in position to cause the engine signals to operate, so that long before the shoe 38 is reached the engineer and firemen may have warning. Said signal is preferably a lamp and a semaphore, 59, both controlled by a vertical rotating shaft 60 having a pinion G1 which is in mesh with a rack bar '82 that is connected by a suitable link and a lever with the frame of the shoe 38, so that the movements of said signals take place with the movements of the shoe 3S.

1 also provide a semaphore signal which receives movement from the operator at the station, by means of a link 63 that connects the lever 41 with a crank arm 64 near the lower end of the semaphore shaft 65 that is tubular and is mounted on a vertical standrd in arm 67 on the standard carries a lamp 68, projected cross-wise of the track and the shaft 65 carries a shield or-cover 70 for the lamp and the daylight signal 71, which are moved to and fro between positions parallel with and crosswise ofv the track. Also upon the shaft is mounted a lamp box 72 carrying a group of lamps adapted to show white and red and green, according to the position they are turned.

To notify the engineer that the switch is open, I place at a suitable distance in advance of the switch. a bar 73 carried by the crank arms of a pair of rock shafts, 74, one of which is connected to the rod 57, so that when the switch is moved to an open position, said bar will be lifted sufliciently high to strike a lever on the engine which will blow the whistle. The rock shaft 74, which is directly connected with the rod 57, has a crank arm or lever 75 situated close to one of the rails 10 at the outer side thereof, so that when the switch is opened the free end of said crank arm 75 will be raised sufficiently high to be in the path of and engaged by the tread of the wheels of the locomotive or cars and thereby the switch operating mechanism automatically actuated to open the main line. Of course, the lever or crank arm 7 5 is located sufliciently far from the switch so that after the switch has thus been automatically thrown by an oncoming train to clear the main line, there will be an opportunity for the operator at the station to open the switch, should he desire to cause the oncoming train to take the siding. The location of the train operated lever 34 is also suificiently far from the switch to enable the operator to send the train approaching the switch on the siding. The levers 34 and 75 are thus safety devices to guard against unauthorized or criminal attempts to cause the oncoming train to go on the siding.

A very important feature of my invention 7 is that no stoppage of trains is necessary to control the movements thereof on the main line or to the siding, and hence, the loss in money and time which come from the stop page of trains, is avoided.

\Vhenever the switch is wrongly placed, that is, leads to the siding when the main track should be clear, the operator at the station is notified of it by the red lights of both sets showing at the station or depot, and engineers of trains on the track are notified of it by the display of both red and green lights at the light stand 50, and by the display of red and green lights by means of the lamp box 72 which is turned crosswise of the track so that in both directions red and green are displayed.

The parts as illustrated in Fig. 1, show the main line clear, and arrows show the direction of movement of the various parts that are brought into action when the operating lever 45 at the station is moved to close the switch, etc.

At the station, on an elevated framework 76 extending across the track, I provide a semaphore comprising a lamp T7 and daylight signal 78 the lamp on an arm crosswise of the track, adapted to be covered and uncovered by covers or shields 79 on a swinging arm 80 that has a slot 800 engaged by a lever 81 connected to an operating handle 82, in convenient reach of the operator.

The occasion for using the switch stand 14 to operate the switch will be exceptional and when it is desired to operate the switch by hand the locking arms 22 can either be disconnected to lift them out of the locking notches or they can be rocked to a position where both are out of the locking notches in the bar 13.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is 1. The combination of the main line and switch, a snitclrpoint moving means, including distant controller, electric signals at the latter, a circuit including said signals, circuit-opening and closing means, operative connections between the latter and the switch point, a signal device having a n1ovable member and situated alongside the main line. and an operative connection between said movablc member and said con troller.

2. The combination of the main line and switch, a switch point moving means including a motor and a distant controller, electric signals at the latter, a circuit including said signals. circuit-opening and closing means, an operative connection between the latter and the svitch point, means at the motor for controlling its operation, a connection between said means and the distant controller for operating said means by the controller, a signal device having a movable member and situated alongside the main line, a connection between said movable member and the controller and a connection between the controller and the means for starting and stopping the motor.

3. The combination of a main line, a switch, switchpoint moving means, including a controller, distant from the switch, an electric signal near the controller, a circuit including said signal and an electric switch connected with the switch point, an electric signal situated adjacent the main line in advance of the switch point, a circuit opener and closer for said last named electric signal, connections between said controller and said circuit opener and closer, a signal device having a movable member and situated alongside the main line, an operative connection between said movable member and said controller, the single controller thus being operatively connected with the switch point moving means with said circuit opener and closer for the electric signal, and with the moving member of said signal alongside the main line.

i. The combination of the main line and switch, a switch point moving means including a motor and a distant controller, electric signals at the latter, a circuit including said signals, circuit-opening and closing means, an operative connection between the latter and the switch point, a train signal operating shoe mounted near the mainline, a horizontally slidable frame carrying said shoe, and connections between said frame and said controller whereby the position of the shoe horizontally may be changed.

5. The combination of the main line and switch, a switch point moving means in- 6. The combination of the main line and switch, switch-operating means, a train signal operating shoe mounted near one of the main line rails, a frame supporting said shoe comprising a pair of rods extending crosswise of the track beneath the rails, a rail-supported guide for each of said rods projecting at both ends beyond the rails, a cross bar connecting said rods at both ends thereof, a signal alongside the track, an operative connection between said signal and one of said cross-bars, and connections between the other cross bar and the switchoperating means whereby when the switch is closed the shoe is placed in inactive position, and when the switch is open the shoe is placed in active position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

ISAAC L. EDWARDS.

\Vitnesses:

JoI-IN F. JUNcnLs, Pnrnn V. JUNGELs, 

